30 Days to a Better Butt

Redefine your behind

These four moves, done just twice a week, will redefine your behind.

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Glutes, derriere — whatever name we use, we often forget the butt is actually a group of muscles that can be shaped and toned. "You already use these muscles every day," explains Lakey Evans, a personal trainer at New York City's Reebok Sports Club who developed this routine. "So it doesn't take much to firm them up."

Before starting the program, warm up for five minutes by jogging in place. Start with 15 repetitions of each exercise two times per week, then increase to three. Stay with it, and you'll see results in just a month.

Jennifer Livingston

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Sideways Step, Starting Position

Sideways Step, Starting Position

1. Starting position: Stand with feet slightly apart. Bend your knees and lean forward into a crouching position. Click arrow to see the next step.

Glutes, derriere — whatever name we use, we often forget the butt is actually a group of muscles that can be shaped and toned. "You already use these muscles every day," explains Lakey Evans, a personal trainer at New York City's Reebok Sports Club who developed this routine. "So it doesn't take much to firm them up."

Before starting the program, warm up for five minutes by jogging in place. Start with 15 repetitions of each exercise two times per week, then increase to three. Stay with it, and you'll see results in just a month.

Jennifer Livingston

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Sideways Step, Starting Position

1. Starting position: Stand with feet slightly apart. Bend your knees and lean forward into a crouching position. Click arrow to see the next step.

Jennifer Livingston

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Sideways Step, The Move (a)

2a. The move: Staying in the crouch position, take a fast step to the side with your left foot. Click arrow to see the next step.

Jennifer Livingston

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Sideways Step, The Move (b)

2b. Quickly bring your right foot over to meet the left foot, tapping the ball of the right foot on the floor. Repeat by stepping your right foot out, with your left foot coming to meet it. A rep includes movement of both left and right feet. For an added challenge, quicken the pace.

Jennifer Livingston

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Kickback, Starting Position

1. Starting position: Get down on knees and forearms. Click arrow to see the next step.

Jennifer Livingston

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Kickback, The Move

2. The move: Starting with the left, bend leg at a 90-degree angle, then flex foot and lift toward the ceiling. Being careful not to move pelvis, pulse foot three to four inches toward the ceiling. After 15 reps, switch legs. Click arrow to see a variation on the exercise.

Jennifer Livingston

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Kickback, Variation

3. Variation: To increase difficulty and isolate the muscles you're targeting, use a resistance ball. It comes in three sizes and is about $30 in most sporting goods stores. Place the ball (we used a medium) between the calf and thigh of the leg you are lifting. Repeat from Step 2.

Jennifer Livingston

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Backward Lunge, Starting Position

1. Starting position: Stand with feet hip-width apart. Click arrow to see the next step.

Jennifer Livingston

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Backward Lunge, The Move

2. The move: Step backward with left leg, keeping heel off floor. Bend both knees until right thigh is parallel to floor and left thigh is perpendicular to it. Pause, then return to starting position. Click arrow to see a variation on this exercise.

Jennifer Livingston

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Backward Lunge, Variation

3. Variation: Repeat from Step 2, holding onto a chair and placing top of foot on resistance ball (ball will slide).